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as fuch formidable objections to the Small-pox, that very expensive eftablifhments had at that time been begun on the continent, with a view to exterminate it altogether.* When Dr. Jenner therefore, found one part of his immortal difcovery to appear defe&ive in this refpeft in the vicinity of the metropolis, and in thofe patients particularly who were inoculated with matter fent from thence, and fcarcely any others, it was impoffible for him, in his fecond publi-r cation on the fubjeft, to avoid offering fome conje&ure. on the caufa of this diverfity. In doing this, he criminuted no man ; who indeed could criminate fiich a chara&er as Dr. Woodville ? We are there-

[foreign and DOMESTIC.] Ohfervations on the Cow-Pox, ^ William Wgodviile, M. D, Phyfician to the Small-Pox and. Inoculation Hofpital^. 8vo. pp. 43. London, W. Phillips, When the Vaccine Inoculation began to engage the attention of the public, it was immediately perceived by its nature, that two very important pillars of its temple refted on the abfence of eruptions, and the impoffibility of the contagion being communicated, except by infertion of the virus, or inoculation. The inconvenience arifing from thefe fources had always been confidered as fuch formidable objections to the Small-pox, that very expensive eftablifhments had at that time been begun on the continent, with a view to exterminate it altogether.* When Dr. Jenner therefore, found one part of his immortal difcovery to appear defe&ive in this refpeft in the vicinity of the metropolis, and in thofe patients particularly who were inoculated with matter fent from thence, and fcarcely any others, it was impoffible for him, in his fecond publi-r cation on the fubjeft, to avoid offering fome conje&ure. on the caufa of this diverfity. In doing this, he criminuted no man ; who indeed could criminate fiich a chara&er as Dr. Woodville ? We are therefore much hurt to obferve, that Dr. W. fliould find himfelf " unable to avoid a certain degree of recrimination, which attaches to a man? for whom he has long entertained 3. friendly regard, and to whom the public is under tne great obligation pf having been made acquainted with a difcovery, which promifes the moil important benefits to fociety." There is a gentle mildnefs of temper, in which the eaufe of truth delights; but which we do not find fo confpicuous in the firft part of this pamphlet as we expected. With j-efpeft to the refutation of Dr. Jenner's conjefture, the public will judge for themfelves when they have read Dr. W's letter.
The following pallage, we apprehend, admits every thing that Dr. Jenner fuppofed : ?c< Although I differ in opinion from Dr? Jenner in not imputing the puilular eruptions, produced in the cafes at tlie hofpital, to any adulteration of the vaccine matter employed in the inoculations, yet I readily admit that they have been and Hill continue to be the efFed of feme aciventitious caufe^ independent of the Cow-pox, ..
.? I f See dumber XVII, p. g'o^ *' This will clearly appear from the following obfervations, frhich likewife tend to place the fubjeft in a new light. " I had not long pra&ifed the vaccine inoculation at the hofpital, before I was requefted to extend it into private families in the metropolis, where I foon difcovered that the Cow-pox uniformly appeared in its mildeft form, and was never attended with eruptions. 1 alfo fupplied feveral medical gentlemen *vith the vacjcine matter, which was ufed by them with the like refult. Hence I began to fufpeft that there exifted fome peculiar caufe, which rendered the patients under the vaccine inoculation in the hofpital inore liable to puftules than others: and that this fufpicion was well founded I have fince, from daily experience, been fully convinced.
" At various times I procured the vaccine virus, as produced in different cows, and with it inoculated patients in the hofpital ; but the effeils of all the matter I tried were perfe&ly fimilar: and puftules proved to be not lefs frequently the confequence of thefe trials than of thofe made with the matter formerly employed. " The laft matter of the vaccine poifon wbich I introduced into the hofpital, was obtained from Dr. Jenner, and originally taken from Clark's cow, before noticed : with this matter I inoculated at the hofpital on the fame day three patieents, on one of whom, about ioo variolous-like puftules were produced. This inftance, and numerous others of the like kind which I could adduce, de-cidedly prove, that where there can be no doubt entertained of the purity of the Cow-pock matter, with which the patients in the hofpital are inoculated, puftules will frequently be the confequence. " On the other hand I have to obferve, from daily experience during the laft twelve months, that among the great numbers of children refiding in various parts of London, to whom I have transferred the Cow-pock infection, no inftance of puftules that maturated has occurred. Now, as thefe different effedtj of the difeafe between the patients in, and thofe out of the hofpital did not depend upon any difference or alteration of the matter with which the inoculations were performed, the only caufe remaining to which the frequent occurrence cf puftules on the former can be rationally Referred, is the variolated atmofphere of the hofpital, which thofe patients were neceffarily obliged to infpire during the progrefs of the Cow-pox infection. " Did it not lead me too much into detail, I fhould (how from jnany circumftances relating to the patients in the Inoculation Hofpital, that other reafons might from thence be adduced to fupport the opinion here advanced. " Mr. Evans, Surgeon, at Ketley, in Shroplhire, 'is the only perfon, except mvfelf, who has given an account of the variolous and vaccine inoculations earned on feparately in different perfons at the fame time, and in the lame houfe, fo that feveral of his patients, while under the vaccine infe&ion, were expofed to the vafiolpaj effluyi^, The number of thofe which he inoculated for the \ Cow-pox Cow-pox amounted to fixty-eight; and it is worthy of remark, that more than one-half of thefe patients had puftules. It is true that the eruptions very rarely maturated; but ftill their frequent occurrence would feem to (how they arofe from the fame caufe as thofe at the hofpital. I fufpedl alfo, that in thofe places where the Small-pox is epidemic, or very generally prevailing, the Cowpox will be found to be equally liable to excite puftules as in the hofpital.
" During the very general and fatal prevalence of the Smallpox at a village eight miles diftant from London, more than 100 perfons were inoculated under my direttion for the Cow-pox, of whom one in five had eruptions; and as thefe furnifh the only in^ fiances which'I have experienced, out of the hofpital, of the Cowpox producing the variolous-like puftules, I am difpofed to attribute them to the adventitious co-operation of the variolous atmofphere to which the patients were expofed. In what way the variolous miafms in thus modifying the Cow-pox, or why they co-operate in fome and not in all cafes of vaccine infe&ion, I fhall not even venture a conjecture : the caufes probably will continue as inexplicable as thofe conftitutional peculiarities which produce all the varieties of Small-pox." The pra&ical importance of the following fadls, will be a fuflicient apology for our inferting them.
" In order to lhow that thofe who had undergone the Cowpox refifted the infe&ion of the Smallpox, I obferved in my Re1 forts, that upwards of 400 of the patients who had received the former difeafe, were afterwards inoculated for the latter, which in no inftance was produced; though more than 100 of the patients had the vaccine difeafe fo very flightly, that it neither produced any perceptible indifpofition nor puftules. In addition to this, I can now fay, that more than 1000 of thofe who had undergone the new inoculation, have been put to the fame teft, and that th$ like refult has been experienced.

"
The above fafts, added to a multiplicity of others of a fimilar import, publifhed by feveral profeflional men, clearly demonitrate, that the Cow-pox inoculation promifes moft important benefits to fociety; and under this convidion I congratulate the public on the great progrefs it is making, by which the real value of the invention will foon become generally acknowledged, and duly appreciated. s ~ < .j " Thofe who have had much experience in inoculating with the matter of the vaccine pock, muft have obferved that it is more apt to fail in communicating the infe&ion than variolous matter, efpecially if it be fuffered to dry upon the lancet before it is ufed? This does not feem to depend upon the virus of the former being more volatile and more eaiily carried off by evaporation than that of the latter, but from its becoming more hard and lefs diffoluble upon exficcation. Care fhould therefore be taken to moiftea it a confiderable time before it is ufed. When fluid matter is employed, the lancet fhould be held nearly at a right angle with thg ikin, in .order that the infe&iows fluid may gravitate to the point of Mr. termor's Reflections on the Cow-pox. the inftrument, which in this direction fhould be made to fcratch the cuticle repeatedly, until it reach the true Ikin, and become tinged with blood. This method has many advantages over the common punCture, and I have found it a more convenient and effectual mode of performing the inoculation than any other. It may be remarked, however, that there are perfons who have never had the Small-pox, and are incapable of receiving it by inoculation, or by any other means whatever. The proportion of thefe to thofe liable to the difeafe has been differently ftated by authors; I have not found them to be more than about one in fixty; but as fuch perfons alfo refill the infeCtion of the Cow pox, the inoculation of the latter muft therefore fometimes fail, independently of the mode in which it is performed, or of the matter employed." Reflections on the Cow-pox, illustrated by Cases to prove it an absolute Security against the Small-pox s addressed to the Public, in a Letter to Dr. "jfeuner, from William Fermor, Esq. 8vo. pp. 47. London.
The firft part of this Letter contains general obferVations on the Small-pox, and the preference due to the Cow-pox, the marks by which the genuine Cow-pox is diftinguifhed, and a ftatement of the opinions of others refpedting its power of permanently preventing the variolous infection.
The author then obferves, " That the genuine Cow-pox is a certain preservative againft the Small-pox, I flatter myfelf, the following cafes will fufficientlv prove. They are feleCted from many I could bring, of perfons who having previoufly had the Cow-pox, have never been able to receive the infeCtion of the virus from the S:nall-pox, though inferted a confiderable time after, and at different periods. Thefe cafes are well known to practitioners and inoculators in this neighbourhood, and I have received moft of them, from the parties themfelves. " Firft Cafe. Jeoffry Tredwell is a reputable farmer, and a tenant of mine, at Chefterton, in this neighbourhood. His brother, William Tredwell, being employed conftantly in milking the cows, was infeCted with the Cow-pox, and had the difeafe feverely in his hands and fingers. Jeoffry not being engaged fo much in milking as his brother, did not receive the infection. About three years after, thefe two brothers were inoculated with variolous matter, by Mr. Lifter, of Charlbury, an eminent practitioner, atV houfe appropriated for that purpofe. William Tredwell, who had undergone the Cow-pox, could not receive the infeCtion, though he was inoculated feveral times, and remained in the houfe with the other patients. JeofFry, who had not been infeCted with it, had a very full Small-pox eruption. ? " Second Cafe. Alban Collingridge had the Cow-pox about five pr fix and twenty years ago, at his father's farm, at Poodle, which affeCted his fingers in a violent degree. About four years after, he was three times inoculated for the Small-pox, by Mr, Lifter without tSo far. Johnstone, on Madmss* out efFe&. Two of his brothers, who had never had the Cow-pos?
received the variolous infection. He flept with them in order to take it; but no confequence enfued. He has frequently fince been cxpofed to its contagion, and has very l#tcly inoculated his children with the Small-ppx, without being in any fhape infe^ed witU it him felf. " Third Cafe. Mr. Stevens, a reputable farmer of Eaft Claydon# in the county of Bucks, had the Cow-pox on his farm, in the year-#764.?He himfelf was infected with it by milking the cows*, About four years after, he was inoculated with variolous matter* but without effe&. About the year 179?, his family were inoculated with the rell of the pari(h for the Small-pox, with which they were all infe&ed, but he was not, though he attended them the* ?whole time. This cafe muft appear deciftve with regard to the fecurity the Cow-pox matter affords againft the variolous infection* as there was a fpace of twenty-feven years between his having received the diforder from his cows, .and his attending his family in the inoculated Small-pox; and an interval of four years between the time he had the Cowpox, and his being himlelf inoculated with the Small-pox without eft*e?t." Many other cafes are given, equally conclufive with the above ; and a lift of 3z6perfons who were inoculated for the Cow-pox, of whom 173 were afterwards-inoculated with Small-pcx, without receiving thq infedtion in any inftance.
Mr. F. concludes his Letter with the following recapitulation: " It is unneceflary for me to fay any more on this truly interefting fubjett. I leave the impartial reader to his natural reflexions; but I think, in confequence of the above premifes, I may venture to fay, that he will now be of opinion that the genuine Cow-pox is mild in its effects, congenial with every fituation and employment of life, totally void of contagion, and a certain prefervative againft the baneful influence of the Small-pox. That no conflitutional or family complaint can interfere with its efte&s, or prevent its adopj tion. tf To conclude; though the public have certainly great obligations to many diftinguifhed modern practitioners, for having, by the cool regimen and prefent mode of treatment, confiderably^abat* ed the natural virulence of the Small-pox, to you alone we are certainly indebted for its complete annihilation." Medical Jurisprudence. On Madness ; by John Jo\i ksTONE, M. D* 8vo. pp. 56. London, 1800. Johnfon.
The Author informs us, that this is a part of an extenfive work ,on the fubjeft of medical jurifprudence, and which he fhould not .have publifhed feparatelv, had he not been induced by iome recent events.
" I have not aimed," fays he, " at collecting much of what has been faid on the fubjeft-of infanity by others. The Anatomy of Melancholy, the works of Battie, Arnold, and Crichton, have exhauited all that can be quoted on the fubjedt, and with JIaflam's Pjra&ical Inquiry, and the Pailofophy of Zoonomia, near-Dr. Johnstone, on Madness*. ? 261 .ly.the whole thatlias ever been faid. To thefe writings therefore the inquifitive reader may refer. I have made an effort indeed to ?comprefs, not to expand my materials; and fuch as they are, I now deliver them to the public, with the hope that they will tend to familiarife the fcientific doctrines of infanity." The Author thus fums up his opinions and advice on the fubjedl of Infanity. " Thus then it appears, that melancholy, lunacy, infanity, madnefs, are the fame difeafe?a difeafe of the organs of the mind, often called into aftion by vehement paffions, or by injuries of different organs of the body.
Madnefs can only be deemed an hereditary difeafe, infomuch, as children have a ftru&ure fxmilar to that of their parents who "have been mad, and as this peculiar organization is likely to be afted upon by the peculiar manners and habits of the parent in education.

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Madnefs has no lucid intervals; a man is either infane or not infane at a particular moment: unlefs indeed we be allowed to term every period, in which the hallucination of the maniac does not appear, a lucid interval. But this would be molt abfurd, for madnefs is a difeafe of the brain, and fenforial powers, and feldom difcovers itfelf equally at ail times. Madnefs is not always diftinguifhable from manner?for it alfumes the form of the character, whatfoever that may be.
" The countenance of maniacs is marked by a peculiar wild flare, not to be miftaken by experienced perfons, generally mixed ? with a fufpicious or timid, and fometimes with a furious look. Their health is not always vifibly affe&ed, though, for the moft part, the fibres of maniacs, or their powers of motion, are lefs irritable or mobile than in good health; hence they are coftive, and difficult to be purged or vomited. Their fenforial powers, in fome aneafure, benumbed ; hence they feel pain with lefs acutenefs, and are capable of bearing great extremes of heat and cold, hunger ?and thirft. Their pulfe is generally flower than common, when there is no irritation nor disorganization.
When it is determined that a man is mad, he ought to be fuppofed incapable of acting. He may perchance ad wifely, but reason being abfent, it is fclely from accident if h.e does fo. A maniac cannot commit crimes, and therefore he ought not to be amenable to human law for their commiffion.
He does not difcriminate right from wrong. " All maniacs (hould be controuled, but all do not require confinement. The neceffity of confinement mull be determined by the degree of fury, by the temper, and the habits of the maniac. " Finally, Maniacs Ihould never be entrufted with the management either of themfelves, or any other perions, efpecially the young. There is no faculty more familiar to us than that of imitation ; it is the firfl exercifed by the infant, and it grows with his growth^ Maniacs therefore fhould not be fuffered to alfaciate with young perfons, who will be likely to imitate their a&ions. For by reiterated imitation, by flow yet certain fteps, we acquire habits, The defign of this indubious Author is to afcertain the real caufes of A/thma, and thence the Species and method of treatment. The firft edition, he informs us, c< was publifhed with fome precipitation, and had the faults of dift'ufenefs, and want of j>erfpicuity y but it?
'jdefeds did not prevent the fan&ion Of it in this Court try;'nor on the continent, where it has been translated into tWp languages.
After a comprehenfive view of the opir^iotls' of others resetting the'ratio fymptomatum,' and Hating1 his objections' to the do&rjne of *' '" -*' fpafmodic i Practical Inquiry into disordered Respiration* 265 fpafmodic conftri&ion, Dr. B. at p. 88, proceeds to the diagnosisj which we ftiall tranferibe as a fpecimen of the reafoning and ftile. " Afthma is fo ftropgly marked, that there can be little difficulty in knowing the difeafe ; yet it will elucidate the Iubje?t, to (how its dlftin&ion from fome other difeaies to which it may bear an analogy in its caufes and efFetts; " Defluxions on the upper part of the lungs and Sneiderian membrane are ufually inflammafory afle&ions of the mucous glands which line the paflages of the note, fauces, and trachea, as far as its divifions, and poflibly lower in the bread, but not extending to the extremities of the air pipes.
" The catarrhal dil'pofition is very frequently followed by Afthma, becaufe repeated inflammation of the capillary veflels and mucotis excretoriesi may induce, in fome habits, a lofs of tone, which may prevent their refiftance to a circulatory impulfe even lefs than healthy, and fubjeft them to the influence of exciting caufes of little force in comparifon with what they formerly fubmitted to. For this reafon, elderly perfons have their natural excretion of mucus much more copious, as they may have been more affefled by catarrh, and they are accordingly more liable to Afthma. If inflammatory difpofition be not wholly loft in thefe perfons, by the progrelfive debility of the veflels of the lungs, Peripneumonia Notha will be the charafter of the pulmonary difeafe, attended often with great danger. " I am aware that this fpecies will be defignedly confounded by many reafoners with the Humoral Afthma ; but it is time that the diftin&ion of Humoral and Convulfme ftiould be better nnderftood. If mucus be di-fcharged in greater quantity in one cafe than in another, the refpiratory aftions being the fame in both, there is no gcod reafon for calling one only Convulfive. Is not every Humoral Afthma Convulfive ? If the unfortunate patient have lo little irritability as not to be excited to cough and expeflorate, the phlegm muft fuffocate him, if the abforb:ng veflels do not carry it off: and this procefs is attended by Convulfive refpiration. But though the Humoral muft be Convulfive, the Convulfive Afthma is not always Humoral } for we fhall fee that irritation may exift in a more fubtle form than lymph.
" It is eonfiftent with the rules of the animal ceconomy, th t Catarrh ftiould not be indicated by thofe violent contractions of the mufcles of refpiration which take place in Convulfive Afthma. Fever attends both Catarrh and Phthifis ; and we may obferve, though we cannot afisgn a reafon for the faft, that if fever fuperfedes, it generally terminates convulfive motions.
" If Catanh occaiionally lead to Afthma, it ftill oftsner brings on Pkthlfis, a difeafe which depends on a ftate of the lungs, oppofite to that which permits ferous effufion. t( In Afthma, an excefs of blood in the pulmonary Veflels may very probably precede the exhalation of the finer part into the veficulae and bronchia 3 this plethora is local, arifing from the relaxed texture of the coats of the veflels, and relieves itfelf by effufion. " In incipient Phtbifis the arterial impulfe Is more eonfiderable than in health, but the pre-diipofition of the pulmonary veflels is not favourable to ? relief by effufion, till the fever has acquired ftrength, and coagulable lymph inftead of pehtcid ferum comes to be effufed.
? It is therefore to be allowed, that there is a predifpofition, in conference of which inflammation will affect the arterial exti emities, and produce Phthifis, as doubtlefs there is a pre-difpofition leading to that atonic ftate of the vafcu'ar pulmonary fyftem producing Afthma. " There may be alfo an intermediate ftate, in which a balance is preferved between the crifis of inflammation fealing up the orifices of the arterial exhalents, and their diftenfion fo gradually acquired as to petmh the M m i efcap* I 264 Profited-Inquiry Into disordered Respiration, efcape of the finer fluid, and confequent relief of arterial fulnefs ; but ie is probable that this balance cannot be long adjufted where the pre-difpofing c'Jules have had a confid.rabie influence, and that it the exlialents do not dilate focn in confumptive habits, Phthifis rauft take place ?, and in perfons of an opi?f>fite conltitution, which I conceive is favourable to Arthma, the effufion of lymph into the veficulx and bronchia will determine, in no long tim?, t:,e future character of the pulmonary difeafe. " lethargic affections have been confiderably allied to pulmonary complaints in-tiie consideration of many authors ; Co much fo, as to create a queltion if the caufeof kthargy did not exist in thy lungs.
Hippocra es fays-, " lethargic difeafes are the fame as pneumonic, and not " altogether different from the humid peripneumony." (Peripneumonia Notha.) Some of his commentators have even defended this opinion by the praftic 1 remark, that lethargy is critically relieved by expectoration of purulent or ferous Huid. " The lethargic fymptoms in Afthma and Peripneumony are fufficientlyaccounted for by the interiuptioa to the courfe of the blood from the right frde of the heart to the left, obltrufting the influx of venous blood from the head. The natural confequence in bad cafts of Afthma is Apoplexy. ** Afthma being thus occafioned by ferum in the veficulx, may be confidered as an Hydropic Difeafe ; but k is obvioufly diftinCt from Hydrothorax,. ift which the water is collected in the fees of the pleura, or cellular texture of the lungs. In each fituation it will occafion dyfpncea, which, though. fubjeCt to exacerbations, from accidental cauies, will not put on the form qf Periodic Afthma.
? "We have fufficient teftimony of the connection of Afthma with Dropfy in the hiltoriej of p.ta&ical authors, frequently pointing out the intercur-? rence of fymptoms and changes of one difeafe into the other, when Afthma has been of long {landing* Jome proof of this is contained in ScCt. VI. of this Inquiry. " Hoffman and Willis have particularly noticed the hydropic appearance# of the feet, and the tendency to general Dropfy in Althma : and the ob* krvation of thefe authors is fupported by that of other practitioners. " Sydenham opens his treatife of the Dropfy, by ftating the firft fymptom of that difor.ler, to be the fwelling of the legs, and pitting of the ancle by preffWre of the finger : but this is not fo certain a fign in women a& in men ^ nor even in the latter is it to be confidered as an abfolute certainty of the difeafe having commenced. He then proceeds with the following, obfervation i " Etenirn cum fenex qorfpiam, habitu corporis paulo pleniori praeditas* ?* Ajihmate jam a multis annis laborans, ab eodem derepente, idqne hye-**? mis tempore, fuerit liberatus, mox ingens tumor mufculos tibiarum octc cupabit, hydropicorum tumores s&mulans, qui hyeme etiam magis quamseltate, tempeiiate magis pluvia quam ferena, pariter invalefcit, et tamen " fine quovis incommodo inligniori,. eundem ad libitinam tifque comitabii-" tur.
Quo non obltantei fi generaliter loquamur, furae et tibiae intumef-" centes, etiam in vim, pro figno fupervenientis hydropis habenda? funt; 4C maxime fi ita affeCti fpiritum segrius ducant." " This fagacious obferver might have attributed the fwelling of the legs, with great truth, to hydropic effufion in the Afthmatic, as well as in other cafes j and the ceflation of the Afthma when thefe fwellings commenced, feems to corroborate, beyond difpute, the theory, that both affections depended on one caufe. The fwelling was larger in winter than in fummer, in moilt weather than in dry. Alterations in the atmofphere rapidly atfeft the Afthmatic, and change his habit from a perfpiring to an imbibing ftate, and whether the aqueous collection ftagnate in the veficles of the lungs, dr Mr, Davy's Chemical and Philosophical Researches. 265 l>e taken up by the abforbents, and be again effufec! in the lower extremities, the identity of the caufe is fufficiently plain. " Infinity fometimes fufpends Confumption, and Confumption Infanity : Afthma, likewife, is fueceeded occasionally by Infinity; probably from the turgid ftate of the veffels of the head in confequence of the difficulty with which the right fide of the heart propels the blood through the lungs to the left. In the hydropic diathefis, fo frequently accompanying advanced A It lima, the difeafe of the head is ftill more frequent.
The following two cales deferve attention. In one, the patient had alternately Afthma and Infanity ?. in the other, there appeared Anafarca and Infanity at the farrie time. The treatment was fuccefsfui, though founded on the fole indication of curing the Dropfy. " We conclude then, that Althma, Infanity, and Dropfy, had the fame caufe ; for, if Infanity and Afthma were one difeafe, and Infanity and Dropfy were one difeafe, AJihma and Dropfy mult be one difeafe.
" From a confideration of the caufes of Infanity by the learned Dr. Arnold, there can be no difficulty in affenting to the connexion between thefe Uifeafes." The Author next proceeds to the inveftigation of the predifpofing and exciting caufes, and the eftablithing of his four fpecie^. He then lays down a plan of treatment for the paroxyfm of each fpecies, with general rules for the diet of the patients, both during the paroxyfms and the intermiffions.
The Appendix contains a recapitulation or fynopfis of the work, with additional fa?ts and obfervations in confirmation of his diftinctions, and plan of treatment. Though the ftile of this work appears to us defective, we have no hefitation in recommending the matter of it to pradlitioners, as well worthy of their attention.

Researches, Chemical and Philosophical; chiefly concerning Nitrout
Oxyde, or Dephlogijiicated Nitrous Air, and its Rtfpiration. By Humphry Davy, Superintendent of the Medical Pneumatic Jnftitution. 8vo. pp. 590. London, 1800. Johnfon. The firft of thefe Refearches chiefly relates to the production of nitrous oxyde, and the analyfis of nitrous gas and nitrous acid. " In this/' fays the Author, " there is little that can be properly called mine; and if by repeating the experiments of other chemifts, I have fometimes been able to make more minute obfervations cconcerning phaenomena, and to draw different conclufions, it is wholly owing to the ufe I have made of the inftruments of inveftigation difcovered by the illuftrious fathers of chemical philofophy, Cavendifh, Prieftley, Black, Lavoifier, Scheele, Kirwan, Guyton, Berthollet, &c. and fo fuccefsfully applied by them to the difcovery of truth. " In the fecond Refearch, the combinations and compofition of nitrous oxyde are inveftigated, and an account given of its decompofition by moft of the combuftible bodies.
The third Refearch contains obfervations on the action of nitrous oxyde upon animals, and an inveftigation of the changes effected in it by refpiration.
In the fourth Refearch the hiftory of the refpirability and extraordinary 265 Mr. Davy's Chemical and Philosophical Researches. ordinary cffefts of nitrous oxyde is given, with details of experiments on its powers made by different individuals." Our recommendation will not be neceffary to induce every loves' of chemiftry and phyfiology to perufe this truly philofophical work; our readers will judge of its importance by the following extra&s.
Mr. D. concludes his firft Refearch with the following general remarks on the production of nitrous oxyde. " There are no reafons for fuppofing that nitrous oxyde is formed in any of the proceffes of Nature; and the nice equilibrium of affinity by which it is conltituted, forbids us to hope for the power of compofmg it from its fimple principles. We mull be content to produce it, either direftly or indireftly, from the decompofition of nitric acid. And as in the decompofition of nitrate of ammoniac, not only all the nitrogene of the nitric acid enters into the compofition of the nitrous oxyde produced, but likewife that of the ammoniac, this procefs is by far the cheapeft, as well as the moll expeditious. A mode of producing ammoniac at little expence, has been propofed by Mr. Watt. Condenfed in the fulphuric acid, it can be eafily made to combine with nitric acid, from the decompofition of nitre by double affinity. And thus, if the hopes which the experiments at the end of thofe refearches induce us to indulge, do not prove fallacious, a fubftance which has been heretofore almoft exclufively appropriated to the deftruftion of mankind, may become, in the hands of philofophy, a means of producing health and pleafurable fenfation." Refpedting the decompofition of nitrous oxyde and its analyfis, he draws thefe general conclufions. " From what has been faid in the preceding fe&ions, it appears that the inflammable bodies, in general, require for their combuftion in nitrous oxyde, much higher temperatures than thofe at which they burn in atmofpheric air, or oxygene. " When intenfely heated they decompofe it, with the production of much heat and light, and become oxygenated. " During the combuftion of folid or fluid bodies, producing flame, in nitrous oxyde, nitrous acid is generated, moft probably from a new arrangement of principles, analogous to thofe obferved in Se?t. II. by the ignition of that part of the gas not in contaft ?with the burning fubftance. Likewife when nitrous oxyde in excefs is decompofed by inflammable gas, nitrous acid, and fometimes a gas analogous to common air, is produced, doubtlefs from the fame caufe. ** Pyrophorus is the only body that inflames in nitrous oxyde, below the temperature of ignition.
" Phofphorus burns in it with the blue flame, probably forming with its oxygene only phofphoreous acid at the dull red heat, and with the intenfely vivid flame, producing phofphoric acid at the white heat. '* Hydrogene, charcoal, fulphur, iron, and the compound inflammable bodies, decompofe it only at heats equal to, or above, that of ignition: probably, each a different temperature.

? From
Mr, Davy's Chemical afid Philosophical Researches. 267 " From the phenomena in Sedl. V. it appears, that at the temperature of intenfe ignition, phofphorus has a ftronger affinity for the oxygene of nitrous oxyde than hydrogene ; and reafoning from the different degrees of combuftibility of the inflammable bodies, in mixtures of nitrous oxyde and nitrogene, and from other phenomena, we may conclude with probability, that at about the white heat, the affinity of the combultible bodies for oxygene takes place in the following order: Phofphorus, hydrogene, charcoal, iron, fulphur, &c. " This order of attra&ion is very different from that obtaining at the red heat; in which temperature charcoal and iron have a much ftronger affinity for oxygene than either phofphorus or hydrogene. " The fmalleft quantity of oxygene given in the different analyfes of nitrous oxyde jait detailed, is thirty-five hundred parts ; the greateft proportion is thirty-nine. " Taking the mean eftimations from the moft accurate experiments, we may conclude that 100 grains of the known ponderable matter of nitrous oxyde, confift of about 36,7 oxygene, and 63,3 ?itrogene; or, taking away decimals, of 37 oxygene to 63 nitrogene ; which is identical with the eftimation given in Refearch I. " Analyfis and fynthefis clearly prove that oxygene and nitrogene conftitute the known ponderable matter of atmofpheric air, nitrous oxyde, nitrous gas, and nitric acid. " That the oxygene and nitrogene of atmofpheric air exift in. chemical union, appears almoft demonftrable from the following evidences.
" 1 ft. The equable diffufion of oxygene and nitrogene through, every part of the atmofphere, which can hardly be fuppofed to depend on any other cauie than an affinity between thefe principles. " 2dly. The difference between the fpecific gravity of atmofpheric air, and a mixture of 27 parts oxygene and 73 nitrogene, as found by calculation ; a difference apparently owing to expan-Hfirn in confequence of combination. " 3dly. The converfjon of nitrous oxyde into nitrous acid, and a gas analogous to common air, by ignition. <e 4thly. The folubility of atmofpheric air un-decompounded in water.
<e Atmospheric Air, then, may be considered as the leaft Intimate of the combinations of nitrogene and oxygene.
" It is an eiaftic fluid, permanent at ail known temperatures, confitting of .73 nitrogene, and ,27 oxygene. It is decompofabie at certain temperatures, by moll of the bodies poffefling affinity for oxygene. It is foluble in about thirty times its bulk of water, and as far as we are acquainted with its affinities, incapable of combining with molt of the fimple and compound fubftances. joo cubic inches of it weigh about 31 grains at 550 temperature? and 30 atmofpheric preffure. , " Nitrqus Oxyde is a gas unalterable in its conftitution, at temperatures below ignition. It is compofed of oxygene and nitrogene.

2.68
Mr. "Davy s Chemical and Philosophical Researches. trogene, exifting perhaps in the moil intimate union which thof? fubftances are capable of afluming. Its properties approach to thofe of acids. It is decompofable by the combuftible bodies at very high temperatures, is foluble in double its volume of water, and in half its bulk of moll of the inflammable fluids.. It is combinable with the alkalies, and capable of forming with them peculiar falts 100 grains of it are compofed of about 63 nitrogene, and 37 oxygene. 100 cubic inches of it weigh 50 grains, at 550 temperature, and 30 atmofpheric preflure. " Nitrous Gas is compofed of about 56 oxygene, and 44. nitrogene, in intimate union. It is foluble in twelve times its bulk of water, and is comhinable with the acids, and certain metallic folutions; it is poffefied of no acid properties, and is decompofable by moft of the bodies that attradl oxygene ftrongly, at high temperatures. 1O0 cubic inches of it weigh about 34. grains, at the mean temperature and preflure. " Nitric Acid is a fubfiance permanently aeriform at common temperatures, compofed. of about 1 nitrogene, to 2,3 oxygene. > It is foluble to a great extent in water, and combinable with the alkalies, and nitrous gas. It is decompofable by molt of the com-, buftible bodies, at certain temperatures. 100 cubic inches of it weigh, at the mean temperature and preflure, nearly 76 grains." The third Refearch contains a great number of experiments on the changes produced in them, by the refpiration of nitrous oxyde, and other gafles; and concludes thus : " The experiments in the firft Divifion of this Refearch, prove that nitrous oxydes when refpired by animals, produce, peculiar changes in their blood and in their organs, firft conne&ed with increafed living adlion ; but terminating in death.
" From the experiments in this Divifion, it appears, that nitrons oxyde is rapidly abforbed by the circulating venous blood, and of courfe its condenfed oxygene and nitrogene dillribttted in the blood over the whole of the fyftem. " Concerning the changes effe&ed in the principles of the impregnated blood during circulation and its aftion upon the nervous and mufcular fibre; it is ufelefs to reafon in the prefent ftate of our knowledge. " It would be eafy to form theories referring the aftion of blood impregnated with nitrous oxyde, to its power of fupplying the nervous and mufcular fibre with fuch proportions of condenfed'nitrogene, oxygene and light, or etherial fluid, as enabled them more rapidly to pafs through thofe changes which conftitute their life: but fuch theories would be only collections of terms derived from known phaenomena, and applied by loofe analogies of language to unknown things. " We are unacquainted with the compofition of dead organ-ifed matter; and new inftruments of experiment and new modes of refearch muft be found, before we can afcertain even bur capabilities of difcovering the laws of life.**' ' The 2V. Priejlley.??Mr. Chamherlaine.?-Dr. Wichmann. i&Q : 'TheM Refearch, which is by far the moft important to the practitioner, details the effe&s produced on the human frame, by the i-efpiration of nitroiis oxyde and other gafes. For thefe we muftj at prefdnt, refer to the Work itfelf.
The t)o?l'rthe of FhhgiJlOn eftablijhvd, and that of the Compoftion of Water refuted: hy Joseph Priestley, LL.D. F.R. S. &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 90, 1800. London, Johnfon. It is inconfiftent with pur plan to enter into theoretical difcuiTions which are not immediately coniie-dted with the Jiealing art. Whether the ttuth lie cm the fide of Dr. P. or his opponents* we cannot determine ; but we believe that the tide runs fo forcibly at prefent in favour of the Antiphlogiilic do&rines, that chemifts had rather be carried away by it, than be at the trouble of Hemming the Current, even for the fake of arriving at the harbour of truth.
Dr. P. examines the calcination and reduction of metals, the de-Compofition of water, the conftitution of fixed air, and azote* from all which he draws inferences in favour of the exigence af Phlogifton. . Notwithftanding thefe authorities, it will appear by the following obfervations, how little it deferves to be depended upon, and how far it is from being capable of removing thofe affe&ions, which befall the infantile age in the period of teething.
1. It feems very improbable, and almoff: ridiculous to imagine, that, by this fimple operation, the growth of the teeth fhould be promoted in a few days, to which otherwife feveraL months are required.
2. It has been ftated, that eonvulfions have aflually ceafed after performing that operation} but could not its effect be thus explained, that they were removed by its having caufed an irritation in another part of the body, and a?ted in a fimilar manner as we obferve blifters, fcarifications, and artificial ulcers, applied for the fame purpofe ? Numb. XIX, N n 3. As 27?
?)r. Wichmann's Theory of Dentition in Children* 3. As it is frequently the cafe, that more teeth than one are preparing to penetrate, it is difficult to determine which protuberance is to be cut through. 4. The fuccefs of the operatipn depends in a great meafure on. the critical time when it fhould be undertaken, which is often impoffible to determine. Van Swieten advifes, therefore, not to perform it for fear of lofing credit, as he relates a cafe where the tooth did not appear till two months after the operation, 5. By the experience of eminent phyfcians and furgeons, it has b?en found not only of no avail, but rather hurtful in fome cafes. Platner (Inftitutiones Chirurg. ? 1078) advifes not to undertake the operation, for fe^r of hurting the teeth. Schaeffer obferves, in his tranflation of Armftrong, that only in a few cafes it feemed to have effeft, but in two others it proved unfortunate. Deffault and Gavand, (Traite d'Ofteologie) confefs, that it has been performed without fuccefs. Dr. Selle and Dr. Tade, two phyficians of known '^nerit, caution every body againft it, becaufe they think that the wound, by healing and caufing a fear, will render the piercing df the teeth more difficult. Dr. Starke, Profeffor and an eminent practitioner at Jena, and Doctor Hecker, are likewife oppofers of the operation.
The application of leeches behind the ear is another remedy, whofe infallibility in difficult dentition was highly praifed by Le Roy, (in Efprit des Journaux, 1784, where he fays of it, " C'eft done un grand moyen de population, qu'une fangfue derniere l'oreilie des enfans") though it was recommended before him by Harris, (de morbis infantum) ; but it has been, now much left off, and only kept its reputation againft difficult dentition when another difeafe was miftaken for it and accidentally cured. The fame may be laid of other general remedies, which are likewife efficacious 5n other difeafes, but which poflefs no particular power againft difficult dentition, as blifters, &c.
Having given the arguments againft difficult dentition, it may be proper to add fome general reflections on the fubjeft.
1. If any danger could be fuppofed to arife to children from the growth of bones, and if Nature did not prevent any morbid affections, or furmount any difficulties by proceeding always gradually in\the formation of the body, dangerous fymptoms might be much fooner expected from the growth of the lkull, particularly when the futures are forming, becaufe the dura mater and the pericranium are more fenfible than the foft fpungy gingiva;; and even the growth of the nails might more eafily be fuppofed the caufe of thofe fymptoms, on account of the great fenlxbility of the neighbouring parts: but nobody ever conliders them as caufes of morbid infantile affections.
2. There is nothing analogous in the economy of the human body, or which has any fimilarity with difficult dentition, wherein by a gradual and natural growth dileafe-is produced. The growth of other bones would as certainly excite pains and dangerous fymptoms, if it was fudden or very quick; which being anomalous, Prof. Hufeland, on the Brunonian Praftice. lous, is never fuppofed to be the cafe; and paios are not even perceived in Tome dileafes of the bones, in curvatures of the back-bone, or when teeth grow in a preternatural diredUon.
3. If the growth of teeth were able to caufe fuch very dangerous fymptoms, it may be fuppofed, that trifmus would be particularly brought on, as it is fo common to children ; but this is only obferved in the firft days of life.
4. Pains arifing from double teeth cutting through in adults, are not to be compared with dentition in children, becaufe this is preternatural and anomalous.
It is with more difficulty fuch a tooth can get through, becaufe the place which it is to occupy, is more fcontra&ed, and partly filled with the neighbouring teeth, and befides this, the gums are not fo foft and yielding as they are in a child.
5; There is no analogy between the pains fuppofed to be occafioned by difficult dentition and thofe arifin'g from a caries dentium, becaufe a true inflammation fpreading to the neighbouring parts takes place here, which originates from the nerve of the teeth being affe&ed. Carious teeth never produce fuch general fymptoms, even in children, as are derived from difficult dentition ; every affeftion remains local here, and only.a little fever, or a want of appetite comes on, as is the cafe in every pain. Now is it probable, that a difference of a few years would leffen the irritability fo much, that, for inftance, a child of fix years fhould not be attacked with convulfions from a vifible and painful affeftion of a tooth ? whereas, it is fuppofed to fuffer them at the age of one or two years from an invifible and fuppolitious caufe.
Dr. Wichmann concludes his paper by obferving, that even if he had not fucceeded in proving^the non-exiltence of difficult dentition, he fhould think himfelf fatisfied if he could but convince practitioners not to attribute' too muck t0 dentition ; that this was not affigned as the only caufe for all difeafes of children, obfervable at the time of dentition; and that it may not be negledted to point ouc and fearch other caufes, before they are derived from dentition. / Such is the opinion of Dr. Wichmann ; oh -which we fhall fubjoin, (in onr following Number)  Tubingen, Lotta, The name of Profeffor Hufeland has acquired fo much celebrity., "even in this country, as naturally to excite the curiofity of every medical man, to know the opinion of this great practitioner, on. a fyltem of medicine which has of late gained fo much ground among# phyficians, and has been particularly received with applaufe on the continent. Mr. Hufeland had already communicated his judgment on it, in feveral numbers of his Practical Journal; tut we find his ideas all united here, though, except in a few N n 2 inftances Prof, Hufeland, on the Brunon\ah Practice, inftances, unaltered. In the Introduction, he confefles himfelf tobe^ on the whole, an antagonift of this new Syftem, in which but fewideas meet with his approbation, that, however, have been already received before Brown, by every reasonable pra&itioner. But, the chief object of this publication is, to caution young pradfcitioners againft indiscriminately applying in pra&ice the raw principles of Brown's theory, Seduced by its apparent Simplicity and conMency. The manner, he proceeds, in which fome enthufiafts attempted to introduce the Brunonian pra&ice, by which they aimed at nothing lefs than a revolution in medicine; the Spirit of fa&ion which is thereby excited, is by no means calculated to forward fcience. It lies indeed, in the nature of things, that the erroneous principles and do&rines of Brown's theory will be Supplanted in time; but they may leave a dangerous tendency to faction and difcord, which is very prejudicial to truth and knowledge', and apt to lead to partiality, which checks the mind in inquiry. This fyftem proceeds but from one point of view, that of instability, and deems all auxiliary knowledge, anatomy, chemiilry, &c. Superfluous. The introduction concludes, that the Brunonian fyilem is full of inaccuracies and Sophiftry, and has too many chaSms to deServe the name of a fyilem : Pure BrunonianiSm will producedaring phyficians, not underftanding how to manage Nature, but continually tyrannifing over her. Againft theSe intro~ ductory premifes, may be replied by the well-wilher of that Syftem, that, if its principles are allowed to be theoretically confident and juft, their not proving fo in praftice is to be derived from their, being miSunderftood and mifapplied, which, confequently, cannot be confidered as a iault of the fyftem, but rather as a fault againft it. Its imperfection can be no obje&ion ; this it lhares with all fyftems, by which Nature is regulated.
However, it' excels ill other, by fixing only one point of view, and avoiding a perplexing multiplicity; farther, it may be fuggefted, that ill confequenccs fuppofed to originate from the Brunonian method of treatment, are partly exaggerated, partly groundlefs, if this is built not upon the mere literal fenfe, but upon its true genius, a circuraftance which deferves to be well weighed and diftinguilhed. Jncitability is by no means the only point of view in this fyftem; and the extenfive clafs of topical difeafes, leaves great room for mechanic aftion and chemiftry.x The ftudy of the auxiliary branches of medicine, is not at all rendered Superfluous by it, as the celebrated Frank, of Vienna, has Sufficiently demonftrated. How far this general apology for the Brunonian fyftem is able to remove the above imputations, we muft leave undecided, as this would neceffarily lead us farther into the fubjeft than the limits of ^his Journal will admit. It may Suffice to remark, that many ayitagonifts of that fyftem, who attempted to fhow its errors and Insufficiency, have Sometimes hurt their own cauSe, by not having fufficiently ftudied and entered its genius. Whether this is the caSe here, we leave out readers to judge, -by representing to them tyieily, contents of this publication, to which the bounds of Prtf* Hufeland, on the Brumnlan Practice. 273 $he Medical Journal will onlyr allow us to add, now and then, fome remarks, which can be brought forward on the fide of the Brunoman theory. The contents accordingly, are delivered under eleven different heads: 1. Practical point of view. In the examination, of a fyftem, it is not of fo much confequence, whether it poflelTes a logical confiftency, but whether it alleviates and improves the cures of difeafes; and many fyftems have been forfaken, on account of this diflurmony with the practice. 2. Diagnofes of difeafes is but feemingly rendered eafier by Brown's theory ; for the fymptoms of a fthenic ftate often occur in afthenic difeafes, and vice yerfa. Brown commits, befides, the fault of confidering the names pf difeafes fufficient to diftinguiih whether they are fthenic or afthenic. Moreover, the diftinttion of direft and indire?t debility, js fubjeft to many difficulties, and often quite impoffible; for inftance, in fpeechlefs perfons; and fometimes fuch caufes have preceded, that may produce as well one ftate as the other, which muft of courfe perplex the Brunonian phyfician, or oblige him at leaft to ftate a mixed debility, in which exifts at the fame time, want and fuperabundance, a ftate quite contradi&ory in itfelf, which requires alike the moft powerful and the weakeft ftimuli. Finally, it is very often impoffible to find and determine the degree of incitation^ and the proper remedy for it. Every thing depends on a cautious experiment; and the pretended mathematical certainty of the Brunonian theory is but a phantom. To thia will be probably objected, that fthenic and afthenic fymptoms are not on^y attended to in this fyftem, but that, alfo, a chief point of it confifts in determining whether a difeafe is topical or general; and as the prefent phenomena of a fthenic and afthenic ftate are often Uncertain and fallible, it is particularly urged by this fyftem, to look back to the preceding influences and morbific difpofition for determining the diagnofis. 3. The t<wo ftfeies of death. Prof. H. w thinks it inconfiftent with experience, that according to this fyftem, there are but two paths to death, by diredt and indirect debility: there exifts a third, in the unfitnefs or deftruction of vital organs, where neither the afthenic nor fthenic method is of any avail, liowever, the Brunonian will refer here to the above proximate caufe, either by confidering the lofs of fuch an organ as the want of a ltimulus neceflary for life, or as a ftate primarily originating from dirett or indirect debility, &c. 4. Attion of medicines, it is a chief principle of the Brunonian theory, that the adlion of .remedies depends folely on gradation, or the degree. However, its followers often combine indifcriminately, remedies .of different degrees, viz. bark and fenega. Now, if the degree of incitej ment requires bark, it ought to be given alone ; for fenega being a weaker ftimulus, cannot add to its power, nor diminifh it, as it is itfelf an exciting' remedy: the uie of fuch a combination is, however, proved by experience. In this manner, the Brunonian is obliged to ad, inconfiftent with his fyftem, and filently to allow I cafes, where a fpecific difference of the ftimuli and their chemical adlion take place. As inftances of a mere mechanic and che-